


Tongue-tied

by Phoenix_Down



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: 17!Ignis, 18!Gladio, Brotherhood-era, Confessions, Fluff, Forward Ignis, M/M, Nervous Gladio, gladnis holiday weekend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-25 20:17:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17128055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phoenix_Down/pseuds/Phoenix_Down
Summary: It all boiled down to one thing. That Gladio liked Ignis. But could he work up the courage to tell him?





	Tongue-tied

"Whatsup nerds!" Gladio called, letting himself into Noctis' apartment with his master key. His stomach fluttered nervously as he walked down the hall, after months of pining he was finally going to take the plunge. He had three friends, Noctis, technically speaking his prince, and a brother. Prompto, the prince' best friend and a little flighty, but with a heart in the right place. And Ignis, the reason his stomach flipped every time he walked into a room, the reason why he'd not been sleeping or eating correctly for the past six months, the reason why Gladio kept patting his back pocket nervously, even though he knew the tickets were there.

"In here!" came Noctis' voice, and Gladio sped up, buoyed at the prospect of seeing Ignis, nervous at the prospect of asking him out, terrified at the prospect of being rejected.

"Hey," Prompto waved nervously when Gladio entered. As the newest member of the group, he was still nervous around anyone who wasn't Noctis. Gladio's size probably didn't help matters. He wasn't an average eighteen-year-old. Having been trained up from a child in order to be Shield to the Prince.

Gladio smiled warmly, and saluted with a wink, before ruffling Noctis' hair. He caught sight of the game they were playing before looking around for the third member of their group. "Where's Iggy?" he asked, ignoring Noctis' protests at having his hair messed up. The fluttering in his stomach settled, and disappointment fled in, right when he had worked up the courage to confess, the person he needed wasn't here.

"In my room, putting away my washing," Noctis replied with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Wanna join?" He pointed to the spare game controller resting on the coffee table.

Gladio bristled, he hated the idea that Ignis did far too much than what was specified on his job remit. The seventeen-year-old worked enough, he didn't need Princess Brat-face making him do more. "Why is he putting away your washing, he's your advisor, not your maid."

The game was paused and Noctis held up his hands defensively. "Hey, Specs offered, I just didn't tell him not to…"

"Uhuh, you know if you did your own washing, Ignis wouldn’t need to offer," and with another pat to the tickets in his back pocket, left Noctis and Prompto with a glare and walked down the hall to Noctis' bedroom.

"What's his problem?" He heard Prompto whisper as he left.

"Only the biggest crush on Ignis known to man, the guy is head over heels, but won't do anything about it."

"Aw… Think he'll come back and play the next mission?"

Gladio paused at the closed door of Noctis' room and squared his shoulders. Was he that obvious about his feelings for Ignis that the whole world knew, or was Noctis not as oblivious as he let on? It was now or never, he couldn't go any longer without telling him his feelings. Better find out now that Ignis didn't like him back so he could work on getting over him, then dream and get his hopes up and get let down later.

He knocked and pushed the door open. "Hey Iggy, Noct said you were playing maid again…"

Ignis was sitting on the floor, piles of clothes scattered around him and a black refuse sack open in front of him, already half full of clothes.

"What are you doing?" Gladio asked, sliding into the room and closing the door behind him.

"Ah Gladiolus, hello," Gladio swallowed, Ignis' voice was so musical and light that it just made him even more nervous. "The King has asked if Noctis had anything to donate to the refugee centre. I've been pestering him for months and seen as he hasn't done it, I'm doing it. If anything the prince truly likes or that he wanted to keep gets donated, then well he should have thought about it when he was first asked two months ago."

Gladio chuckled, relieved to know that Ignis wasn't doing Noctis' washing and was doing something semi-productive, even if it was something the prince could have been doing himself. "Want some help?"

"Oh no," Ignis paused mid-fold of a pair of black jeans. "No point you getting bored over this task as well, feel free to go play video games with the others. I'll be out soon to start on dinner…" he glanced up the taller man. "Will you be joining us?"

Gladio plonked himself down and nudged Ignis' shoulder with his own. "Nonsense, if anything I'll keep you company. Plus the added bonus is that we'll get done in half the time." He smiled and reached for a t-shirt. "But sure, I'll stay for dinner, I love your cooking. Anything need taste testing?" he added teasingly.

Ignis smiled but swatted Gladio hand away from the shirt he was about to grab. "That's the keep pile, go for what's in that pile," and he pointed towards an unfolded pile to his left. Gladio nodded a faint blush on his cheeks from the contact of Ignis' hand. "I'll have to have a look at what's in the cupboards, something with vegetables I'm planning, just because I had to do something I had asked him to do."

"How very Slytherin of you," Gladio said with a smile, checking the size label on a pair of shorts and when realising they were too small, folded them into the bag.

Ignis laughed, and Gladio's stomach flipped at the sound. "Yes, well, there's only so much patience I have."

That's what Gladio liked about Ignis; yes he was hard-working, and yes he probably did way too much for the prince, but he had a sense of humour. Ignis could say one line and have Gladio chuckling for hours, then there was also his sense of duty, his selfless spirit, his intelligence, his patience, kindness and generosity were all just little things that made up the bigger picture of Ignis Scientia.

They worked well together, dancing around each other, talking lightly about life, the universe, anything really and Gladio enjoyed the company, but the longer he waited, the more ansty he became, the more the nerves settled in his stomach. If he didn't say something now, the moment would be lost, and he'd regret it.

"So er… when's your next night off?" He asked casually, wincing at how awkward it sounded. It had honestly sounded better in his head… and when they hadn't just been discussing his sister's annoying habit of announcing to the room whether she was going to the bathroom and doing a "number 1", or a "number 2."

Ignis laughed. "Sorry," he said still chuckling. "Nights off are a rare commodity these days. What with my own studies and Noctis'." He placed the last item of clothing into a drawer and closed it with a satisfying thud. He rose, smoothing down his trousers and holding out a hand in order to help Gladio stand up. "Although I suppose I could be persuaded to take one, should the right reason come along," he smiled. "Why?"

Ignis' hand felt amazing in his, it was warm and smoothed, smaller but with long manicured fingers and it just felt so right, almost as if they had been made for each other. He was so busy marvelling at the fact that Ignis was touching him, that he almost missed the fact that it sounded as if Ignis was flirting with him. He looked up in time to see him smile, and his stomach flopped. _That was a flirt, right? The right reason? He could be the right reason, right? Right?_

He realised his palms were sweating and he blushed, embarrassed. He removed his hand from Ignis' and wiped it on his trouser leg.

"I err… somehow acquired these tickets…" he fished out the tickets from his back pocket and offered them to Ignis. "And thought you might like them."

Ignis glanced up at him before taking the tickets. "Sixty-Two Captains?" He blinked, mouth falling open in surprise. "But how? These were told out within the first five minutes of being on sale."

Gladio rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I just happened across them, and remembered how much you like them." What wasn't said was the painstaking wait in the virtual queue where people were randomly picked to go through to the checkout, the stress of waiting, the panic as he tried and failed to type his credit card number in, then the relief as they were finally in his hand.

Ignis looked up at him, his eyes shining, a huge smiled spreading across his face. "I was in a council meeting when they were released. I tried to excuse myself to go to the bathroom but by the time I did…"

Gladio knew this, not that he had stalked Ignis schedule and seen the very meeting he'd been stuck in. He smiled sheepishly. "There's… Er two, so you can take someone with you."

Ignis nodded. "Honestly Gladio, I can't thank you enough for this. It's truly the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me." Tickets still in hand he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Gladio, resting his head against his chest in an embrace.

It took Gladio a whole two seconds, to recover from the shock of Ignis initiating contact and wrapped his own arms around him. His heart hammered. "You deserve it," he said truthfully.

Ignis pulled away and looked up at him, curiously. "Why though? Not that I'm complaining at all, but why do you think I deserve it?"

Gladio swallowed and rubbed his palms on his trousers again. This was it, it was now or never. "Because I like you…" it came out in a mere squeak, barely coherent and Ignis quirked an eyebrow curiously.

"I'm sorry?"

Gladio coughed. "Because I like you."

"Oh… well, I like you to." Gladio's heart soared. "It would be pretty hard to do our job if we didn’t like each other."

Gladio groaned, why was he making this so hard. "No, I mean yes, but I also mean…" frustrated Gladio ran a hand through his hair.

Ignis just chuckled and reached out to grab the hand, pulling it back down and linking their fingers. "Why don't you take me out for coffee and then we can go watch Sixty-Two Captains together. After that, you may be able to find a way to express how you feel."

Gladio was speechless, and he stared down at their linked fingers. "Did… Did you just ask me out on a date?"

"It that not what you wanted?" Ignis looked sceptical but kept their hands linked.

"No! Shit, Yes! That's what I wanted but… you, you did it so flawlessly and I'm still floundering around helpless unsure of what to say."

Ignis laughed, loud and pure. "I'm sorry, you just looked so adorably cute, trying to confess and I thought I'd help. Just to lighten your load."

_Did Ignis just call him adorably cute?_ Gladio blushed at the thought and that just caused Ignis to laugh even louder.

"Oh Gladio," he said shaking his head with a smile. "How about this, I have a spare ticket to sixty-two captains, I know you like them as much as I do, would you like to accompany me?" He gestured to Gladio indicating it was now his turn.

Gladio swallowed and wiped his palms once more. "I'd... I'd love to," he stammered out. "But only If I can take you out to dinner first. As a date."

"I'd love to, you can pick me up at five thirty," and still smiling the seventeen-year-old rose onto his tiptoes and placed a quick chaste kiss on Gladio's cheek. "There now," he whispered softly. "That wasn't too hard was it?"

Fireworks were going off in Gladio's stomach and he shook his head mutely.

Ignis dropped down again. "Will you order us pizza? I don't feel quite up to cooking tonight after all," he smiled and with a squeeze of Gladio's arm, picked up the bag of clothes to be donated and walked out of Noctis' room. Leaving Gladio alone to collect his thoughts and come to grips what had just happened. _Yes_ , he decided after a moment's contemplation. _He really liked Ignis Scientia_.


End file.
